doris
doris
Find Schools
Events
Saved schools
My account
Parent Guide Parent testimonials Community Transparency Charter About For Schools
Currency
I

Instituto Bern Bautista Bilingüe – Valle Dorado

Panama, La Chorrera

Save school
Share
Navigate

· Reviewed by · Co-founder & CEO

Independently researched by doris.
Not yet claimed by the school
Claim your profile
The school at a glance
Instructs in English, Spanish
Fees $1,650 - 1,800
Ages Not listed
Type Co-educational
Opened 1999
Bus Service No
Academic offering
Curriculum Bespoke Curriculum, Christian Curriculum
Taught languages English, Spanish
Strengths STEM, Languages, Academic Enrichment
Clubs Academic and Intellectual, Cultural and Language, Leadership and Professional
Stages Preschool, Kindergarten, Primary School, Middle School, High School, Secondary School
Introduction

Instituto Bern Bautista Bilingüe – Valle Dorado is a Baptist bilingual school in Valle Dorado, La Chorrera, Panama. It comprises Valle Dorado (western extension opened in 2002) and the Las Américas campus, each operating under a separate charter. The school serves preschool through secondary (grade 12) and offers two bachillerates: Ciencias (Science) and Comercio (Commerce). The curriculum combines Christian formation with instruction in English and Spanish, supported by staff trained in English, informatics, Christian formation, and national folklore. Facilities include a chapel, an audiovisual room, laboratories for informatics, robotics, languages, commerce, biology, and chemistry, a library, a psychopedagogical cabinet, and cafeterias. The motto is Jesus is our guide, and the mission is to provide education with Christian moral guidance and the pursuit of excellence in transforming mind, body, and soul through the Word of God and effective pedagogy. Extracurriculars include Meduca competitions, Science Week, English Week and language contests, plus camps.

Valle Dorado, La Chorrera, Panama

The Essentials

Instituto Bern Bautista Bilingüe – Valle Dorado has instruction in English, Spanish.

Location
Valle Dorado extension, La Chorrera, Panama Oeste, Panama.

Stages
Preschool through high school; two high school tracks: Science and Commerce.

Type
Private Baptist bilingual school

Additional learning support
On-site psychopedagogical services.

Country affiliation
Panama

Religious affiliation
Baptist
Diving Deeper

Uniform Requirement
Uniforms are required for all students. Preschool uniforms include durable long pants, lace-up shoes, and cotton short-sleeve shirts, with field trips requiring a shirt bearing the insignia; Primary through middle school uniforms include white shirts with the insignia, skirts or jumpers for girls and pants for boys, plus a burgundy sweater, and the middle school adds a Monday tie. The PE uniform is a red track suit with a white shirt, white socks and sneakers.

Food Options
Two cafeterias operate on campus.

Governance and Ownership
The school is a private Baptist bilingual educational center with two campuses, Las Américas and Valle Dorado, which operate independently under separate resolutions. The Valle Dorado extension opened in 2002.
Fees

Annual tuition at Instituto Bern Bautista Bilingüe – Valle Dorado ranges from USD 1,650 to USD 1,800 for 2026/27.

Application / Registration fees
- Pre‑school (Pre‑k / Kínder): B/. 220.
- Primary (Educación Básica): B/. 255.
- Pre‑media (Primer ciclo / Secundaria inferior): B/. 260.

Annual tuition (anualidad) by year group
- Pre‑school (Kínder / Pre‑escolar): B/. 1,650 per year.
- Primary (Educación Básica / Primaria, Grades 1–6): B/. 1,800 per year.
- Pre‑media (Educación Básica, Primer ciclo / Grades VII–IX): B/. 1,800 per year.

Fee breakdown per term / installments
- Tuition figures are published as annual amounts (anualidad). No public, itemized per‑term or per‑installment amounts for Instituto Bern – Valle Dorado are published; installment columns appear in regional fee compilations but the school's per‑installment values are not listed publicly.

Billing schedule and payment terms
- The school bills by annual tuition amounts; specific internal billing dates, installment due dates, early‑payment discounts, and late‑payment penalties are not published in the publicly available materials. Administrative payment arrangements are handled through the school secretariat.

Boarding / residential fees
- Instituto Bern operates as a day school and does not list boarding or residential services; no boarding fees apply.

Other costs and recurring charges
- Uniforms: uniform requirements are documented, but retail prices for uniform items are not published.
- Additional possible charges (not itemized publicly): student ID cards, extracurricular activity fees, exam/graduation fees, transport (bus) fees, camp or excursion fees, resource or material purchases. No itemized amounts for these charges are published.

Refund information
- No publicly posted, itemized refund or tuition‑cancellation policy is available for Instituto Bern – Valle Dorado in the school's admissions materials or the public fee compilations. Refunds and specific refund conditions are handled administratively by the school.

Fee payment options
- The school's public materials do not list a detailed menu of accepted payment methods (for example, specific credit card acceptance, bank transfer details, cheque or online payment portal). Payment methods and banking/collection details are arranged with the secretariat. Contact: info@ibern.edu.pa; Las Mañanitas (507) 292‑8594 / (507) 388‑7962; La Chorrera, Valle Dorado (507) 6853‑2038.

Brief note on available data and gaps
- Published, itemized figures are limited to the registration (matrícula) amounts and annual tuition (anualidad) by level as shown above for the 2026 academic listings; per‑term instalment amounts, precise billing dates, explicit refund terms, uniform prices, and a list of accepted payment methods are not published in the available admissions materials or public fee compilations and must be arranged through the school's administrative office.
Academics

Instituto Bern Bautista Bilingüe – Valle Dorado teaches Bespoke Curriculum, Christian Curriculum.

Curriculum
Preschool through secondary (grades 7–12) with two bachillerates: Science and Commerce. The school is a private Baptist bilingual institution with staff trained in science, humanities, and technology, with specializations in English, informatics, Christian formation, and national folklore. Facilities include a chapel, audiovisual room, labs for informatics, robotics, languages, commerce, biology, and chemistry, a library, a psychopedagogical cabinet, and two cafeterias. Valle Dorado is the western extension opened in 2002; the Las Américas campus is the other location; both extensions operate independently and have separate charters. The motto is Jesus is our guide, and the mission is to provide a complete educational service with Christian moral guidance and the pursuit of excellence in holistic formation, transforming mind, body, and soul through the Word of God and effective pedagogy.

Student Teacher Ratio
Approximately 18:1 (about 1,200 students and 67 teachers).
Wellbeing

Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)
The school centers social and emotional development on Christian values and character formation. The mission aims to provide a complete educational service with moral Christian guidance and the pursuit of excellence in holistic formation. Core values are obedience, integrity, wisdom, responsibility, service, respect, and love. The motto Jesus is our guide shapes the culture of student life and behavior. Student outcomes emphasize ongoing learning, teamwork, leadership, and responsible use of technology in service of the community.

Special Educational Needs (SEN)
The school provides a psychopedagogical office to support learning needs and monitors student development. Psychology and counseling services are available to support wellbeing and academic achievement. Diagnostic and psychological testing is part of the admissions and support processes (though not required for IB students). Language laboratories support diverse learners and language development.

English as an Additional Language (EAL)
The school operates as a bilingual institution. Language laboratories support language learning, and teachers have specialization in English. English is a curricular focus within a broader multilingual program.

Mental Wellbeing
Psychology and counseling services are available to students. A psychopedagogical cabinet supports learning and wellbeing. The Family Enhancement Academy offers programs and resources aimed at supporting families and overall wellbeing within the school community.
Parent Experience

History
On March 1, 1999, educational activities began in Panama City's eastern sector, Las Américas, with 139 students under the name Colegio Suizo Panameño, led by Professor Ivanova Di Bello, who remains principal. In 2002 a western extension, Valle Dorado, was created, and in 2005 both extensions were renamed Instituto Bern Bautista Bilingüe, operating independently under separate resolutions. The two campuses today serve about 1,200 students (roughly 995 in Las Américas) with around 67 teachers, from preschool through high school, and offer two baccalaureate tracks: Ciencias and Comercio, with staff trained in English, computing, Christian formation and national folklore. The facilities include a chapel for Christian and cultural development, audiovisual room, laboratories for informatics, robotics, languages, commerce, biology and chemistry, a library, a psychoeducational cabinet, and two cafeterias. The motto is Jesus is our guide and the logo features a Bern coat of arms, reflecting the Swiss heritage of the school.

Community
The school community is bilingual and Christian, with about 1,200 students and a staff of roughly 67 teachers and administrative personnel dedicated to serving the community. The campus includes a chapel for student development and a range of facilities to support learning and student life, such as an audiovisual room, computer labs, robotics lab, language labs, a library, science labs and cafeterias. The administration emphasizes service to the community, and the school fosters a culture grounded in its motto, Jesus is our guide, reflecting its values in daily life. The environment supports Christian formation and cultural development as part of the education offered to students.
Facilities

Facilities Overview
The school has a chapel for the Christian and cultural development of students. The school has an audiovisual room. The school has computer laboratories, a robotics laboratory, and language laboratories. The school has a commerce laboratory, a library, biology and chemistry laboratories, a psychopedagogical cabinet, and two cafeterias.

Academic Facilities
Computer laboratories support ICT and STEM learning. The robotics laboratory provides hands-on technology education. Language laboratories support language acquisition. Biology and chemistry laboratories support science experimentation. A commerce laboratory, a library, and a psychopedagogical cabinet support academic and student services.
Extra-Curricular Activities

Academic & Intellectual
The school participates in Meduca competitions, Science Week, and a trade fair. English Week and Spanish language contests foster multilingual proficiency. Bible Month and camps supplement the academic calendar.

Cultural & Language
Language laboratories are available to support language learning. English Week and Spanish language contests promote bilingual communication. Bible Month and other cultural events are part of the program.

Social & Hobbies
The school organizes camps as part of its extracurricular activities. A range of events and activities take place outside regular classroom hours. Students engage in social and hobby activities as part of well-rounded development.

Leadership & Professional
The school develops leadership and teamwork; students lead or actively participate in teams. They learn to work under pressure and apply leadership, collaboration, and project-management skills. They master hardware and software applications and use computers as versatile tools for documentation, advertising and robotics. They develop musical talents used for worship and to express their gifts in school life.

Lifestyle & Wellbeing
The school teaches that the body is the temple of the Holy Spirit and encourages exercise and proper nutrition. Spiritual development is supported through a campus chapel and a Christian environment.
Languages

Language Provision
Language laboratories exist to support language learning. English Week is part of school activities. Teaching staff have specialization in English, reinforcing the English language program.

Bilingual Teaching
The school is a Baptist bilingual private school serving preschool through high school, offering two baccalaureate tracks: Science and Commerce.
Admissions

Admissions
1. Submit documents at the school secretariat. PREESCOLAR: Copy of the ID card or birth certificate (school birth certificate). PRIMARY or SECONDARY: Copy of the ID card or birth certificate; Copy of the current academic year's report card and the previous year's report card. 2. After documents are submitted, the student undergoes a testing phase. PREESCOLAR: Psychological test. PRIMARY: Psychological test and reading test. PREMEDIA: Psychological test and tests in mathematics, critical reading, and English. 3. To enter or matriculate, the following are required. PREESCOLAR AND FIRST GRADE: The age to enter Kindergarten is five years old at the start of the school year; birth certificate (original and copy); guardian's ID copy (both faces); health certificate; two passport photos; vaccine card copy; guardian ID copy; and results of the psychological test. PRIMARY (2nd–6th): Documents from the Pre-school list; conduct certificate; credits record; MEDUCA convalidation (for foreign students). PREMETA: The first six items from the Pre-school list; interview with the principal or their representative; conduct certificate; credits record; guardian ID copy. 4. Summer course must be completed when required. PREESCOLAR: Mandatory. PRIMARY AND PREMETA: According to evaluation. For foreign students, information should be requested at the school secretariat.
School Events
The school has not added events
Search for more schools
Search schools in Panama View all schools in La Chorrera View all schools in Panama Open days & tours in La Chorrera View all schools Search all schools